


You Win Some, You Lose Some

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Bucky Barnes x Reader Series [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bucky and Sam bickering, F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, PG-13 sexual situations, Probably a curse word or two, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21933874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: Being invited to your ex-fiancé’s wedding is never easy, especially when the two of you have so much history between you.  But what happens when one of the guys you meet there ends up popping back up in your life in a completely unexpected way?
Relationships: Bucky Barnes x Reader, sam wilson x reader
Series: Bucky Barnes x Reader Series [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/774297
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	You Win Some, You Lose Some

**Sam Wilson x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Reader**

**Summary** – Being invited to your ex-fiancé’s wedding is never easy, especially when the two of you have so much history between you. But what happens when one of the guys you meet there ends up popping back up in your life in a completely unexpected way?

**Warnings** – Angst, Heartbreak, Fluff, Bucky and Sam bickering, Snark, PG-13 sexytimes…probably a curse word or two

**Word Count** – 10K

**Notes **\- Parts 1 - 9 of of 9

** _**Updated December 23, 2019**_ **

_ ** [Masterlist](https://beccaanne814.tumblr.com/post/174989754188/masterlist) ** _

[[MORE]]

She sat on the uncomfortable pew in the church and watched her entire future slip through her fingers. For so many years, she'd assumed that she would be the one standing at the altar with him, but it seemed at though Fate had had other plans. YN didn't really know the stunning woman in the white satin gown all that much, but she could see the smile on Sam's face, so that spoke volumes about her character.

YN had wanted to be here for Sam—if only to prove to him that she was a mature adult. She'd lied to him, though. She hadn't moved on, and she most likely never would. Sam Wilson would always be the man she loved, and the vows he spoke to another woman would never change that fact.

Looking back, she'd tried to figure out where things had gone wrong. Her friends and family had all pointed to the obvious, but it was more than that. Her relationship with Sam had started to fall apart before the accident. If anything, losing the one person they had in common had kept them together longer than they would've been otherwise.

She'd met Sam through her brother. When Riley had brought home his Pararescue partner, it had been love at first sight for both of them. They'd tried to deny their feelings for Riley's sake, but he'd been thrilled that his best friend and his sister were in love.

Losing Riley had been hard on all of them, but for YN and Sam, the end was already drawing nigh before Riley's death. If she had to pinpoint an exact moment, she'd probably say it was when Sam chose to go on a second tour in Afghanistan instead of separating from the Air Force and marrying her like he'd promised. She'd tried to understand his motives—his desire to fly by her brother's side one last time—but it still hurt that he hadn't been willing to make her his first priority.

Guilt had eaten at Sam for months following her brother's death, and no matter how many times she'd tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault, he refused to see reason. Their already rocky relationship couldn't handle the added stress, and with one final knockout, drag-out fight, they were over.

She'd told herself they were taking a break—that they both just needed some time to cope and then they'd find their way back to one another. But then he'd joined the Avengers. Any hope she'd still harbored in her heart had died the day she'd found out he was a fugitive from the law with his new best friend.

The world had calmed down and his name had been cleared, but he still hadn't come back for her. Instead, he'd moved on—like she should've done years ago—and now he'd found someone that could stand beside him in the new life he'd chosen. YN was now nothing more than a fond memory.

With every word the reverend spoke, YN felt another piece of her heart break, but she refused to let her smile falter. Sam didn't deserve to have her break down in the middle of his wedding. He deserved every happiness that life had to offer and if that meant she had sit serenely while a knife was being driven through her heart, then that's what she would do. 

She had to be strong enough to make it through this one day. She had to be strong enough to simply be his friend. She had to be strong enough to let him go.

The weather outside was too pretty to stay cooped up indoors, so YN tied on her running shoes and hit the streets of Brooklyn for a quick jog. She'd moved to New York a few months prior, but hadn't had an opportunity to get out and really see her new neighborhood due to the harsh northern winter. 

The tree-lined sidewalks of Brooklyn weren't as busy as the ones in Manhattan where she worked, so it wasn't too difficult to weave her way between the pedestrians strolling along enjoying the nice weather. At least it wasn't until she rounded the corner and ran headlong into another jogger.

"I'm so sorry," she said as she pulled her headphones from her ears and assessed the man she'd run into for damages. As her eyes traversed the length of his body, she couldn't help but think she wouldn't mind doing a hands-on check somewhere a little more private—even if he did only have one arm. Shaking her head to clear her inappropriate musings, she brought her gaze back to his face and promised herself that she wouldn't ogle him again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, doll," he said with a smile. "Are you okay?"

She waved away his concern. "I'm fine. Just embarrassed that I ran into you."

"Don't worry about it."

Now that she was focusing on his face, she couldn't help but think she knew him from somewhere. He wasn't someone she worked with—she would have remembered a one-armed hottie with sexy blue-grey eyes and a smile that threatened to charm the pants off of her in the middle of downtown Brooklyn. No, she knew him from somewhere else, but she couldn't figure out where.

"Have we met?" he asked as his brow furrowed. "I swear I've seen your face before."

"I was just thinking the same thing," she said as her eyes grew wide with wonder. "I just can't figure out where I've met you before. I just moved to Brooklyn a few months ago. Maybe we've seen one another around the neighborhood?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not it. I would've definitely asked you out if I'd seen you around here. It had to have been some place that seemed inappropriate for me to flirt with you."

She could feel herself growing hot at his nonchalant statement. His eyes had darkened with desire and she suddenly started to get nervous. "My name's YN if that helps."

All at once, his smile faded and his face started to lose a bit of color. "Oh, shit. Now I remember."

His sudden change of demeanor had her stomach rolling with worry. What did he know that she didn't. "Who are you?"

He sighed and dropped his head. "I'm Bucky—Bucky Barnes. We met at Wilson's wedding."

The pieces started falling into place, and like a balloon being popped, her hopes of possibly finding a decent guy deflated in an instant. "How are Sam and Natasha?"

"Do you really care?" he asked as he gave her a disbelieving look.

"Not really," she shrugged. "But it's the polite thing to ask. You are his friend after all."

Bucky started laughing. "You think I'm friends with that asshole?" 

YN was completely confused. "Aren't you two teammates or something?"

"Were teammates," Bucky corrected as he nodded toward his stub. "I gave up avenging a few months ago. Now I'm all about living the quiet life."

"Is that so? How's it going for you?"

"It was going great until I realized you were Wilson's ex," he teased. "But seriously, it's not too bad. The military insisted on giving me a pension seeing as how I technically served in the army for over seventy years. I help out at the VA most days so I don't feel like a total moocher."

"I think it's wonderful." She shook her head as she recalled some of the articles she'd read about his time in captivity with HYDRA. "What you went through was just horrible."

"It was nothing compared to what you must have gone through."

She gave him a confused look.

"Dating Wilson had to have been a hundred times worse than what HYDRA did to me."

Rolling her eyes with a laugh, she reached out and playfully punched his right arm. "He's not that bad."

"He's an idiot," he said as his tone turned serious. "He let you go, didn't he?"

She had no comeback for that statement, so she just sighed and shook her head.

"You know," he began with a hopeful look. "I'm not an Avenger anymore. . .and Wilson's happily married. . ."

"And it's not like the two of you are friends anyway," she added when she realized where his train of thought was leading.

"Exactly."

"You're not going to change your mind and take up the hero business again, are you?" She hated to ask, but the whole reason she and Sam hadn't worked was because she despised taking a backseat to the government and their demands on his time. It may have made her seem selfish, but she'd already lost a brother to someone else's war—she didn’t want to lose anyone else that she cared about.

"I'm retired," he assured her. "It was a hard adjustment at first, but after the Decimation, I realized I wanted a life. I've spent most of mine following someone else's orders, and I figured it was time for me to start paving my own path." He paused and looked around for a moment. "Nothing was the same after I came back, anyway. It was time for a fresh start."

"I understand what you mean," she said with a somber look. She wasn't sure if it was a mistake or not, but what he'd said made sense to her, and maybe it was time she started paving her own path. Holding out her hand she said, "Give me your phone."

A huge smile spread across his face as he handed over his device and watched her enter in her contact information. She held up the phone and snapped a quick picture of herself with a huge smile before handing it back to him.

"I'm free tomorrow night," she told him. "I don't need flowers on the first date, but I do expect a decent meal." She shot him a quick smile. "Don't disappoint me, Barnes."

He promised he wouldn't as she put her headphones back in and began jogging away. Standing on the street corner for a few moments longer, he wondered how he'd gotten so lucky to have met such an amazing woman. A sickening feeling settled into his gut when he realized he had Wilson to thank for his upcoming date. He wondered if he needed to tell that asshole he was going out with his ex, but he decided it would be funnier to see the expression on Sam's face when he figured it out for himself. Putting his own headphones back in, he finished his run with the biggest smile on his face.

YN sat beside Bucky on the subway as they rode from Brooklyn into Manhattan. Every so often, she'd glance over at him and take a breath to say something, only to lose her nerve and turn away again.

"It's going to be fine," Bucky assured her. He'd been waiting for her to work up the nerve to speak, but it seemed as though she was unwilling to voice her concerns aloud.

"Are you sure?"

He looked at her and saw the worry etched into her face. Reaching over, he cupped her jaw and gave her a long look. "It's just a party—nothing to worry about."

"A party where my ex and his wife are going to be," she reminded him. 

"You were at the wedding," he said with a shrug.

"Yes," she agreed reluctantly, "but that was before I was dating you."

He grabbed her hand and twined their fingers together. "Sam and I don't hate each other, we just agree to disagree on pretty much everything. He's moved on, and you've moved on. It's going to be fine."

She wanted to believe him, she really did. But she'd known Sam Wilson for most of her life, and while she wasn't in love with him anymore, she still knew how his mind worked. And what Bucky had said was true—they'd both moved on. Sam was happily married to Natasha and she was happy with Bucky, but it was still going to be awkward to be at the same party with their new significant others.

Her relationship with Bucky had been more of shock to her than anything else. She'd always thought she'd steer clear of the military types after Riley and Sam, but somehow she'd ended up dating another soldier—albeit a retired one. Bucky shared some similarities with her ex, and while she could plainly see the ways in which the two men were alike, she was almost positive it was the reason they didn't get along too well. They both shared a deep-seated sense of loyalty and duty, but they were also both a little hotheaded and hated being wrong. From what she'd seen of Steve, he shared those qualities as well, but his radiated in a quiet resolve whereas Bucky and Sam proudly wore their attitudes like medals pinned to their chests.

There was one glaring difference between Bucky and Sam, though. Sam had always wanted to serve his country and had willingly gone back time and time again. But not Bucky. He'd been drafted into the service during WWII, and while he was a great soldier, he'd always assumed that a time would come when he could walk away and get back to the life he'd always dreamt of for himself. 

YN hoped that she might become a bigger part of Bucky's life since his retirement, and so far things seemed to be heading in that direction. They'd gone on their first date soon after they'd run into one another on the street, and it was as though they'd always known one another. Their connection had been almost instantaneous, and they'd found themselves making up reasons to meet up for coffee, or lunch, or for a run around the block on a pretty morning. 

The longer she spent with Bucky, the more she realized she was starting to fall for him. But she'd only seen one half of his life so far—the half that included her. The party they were going to tonight would be the first time she'd be around his friends and former teammates. She was honest enough with herself to admit that it wasn't so much the thought of seeing Sam and Natasha again, but that Bucky would spend a few hours submerged in his old life and realized that he missed it. As fond of Bucky as she was, she knew she'd never be able to handle a relationship with him if he went back to the Avengers.

"I can hear you thinking," Bucky teased as he nudged her side playfully. 

She forced herself out of her thoughts and focused her attention on the man beside her. "Do you miss it?"

Her question caught him off guard for a moment. "The superhero life?"

She nodded as she gave him a worried look. The words had come out of her mouth before she'd had a chance to stop herself, but now that the question was out there, she was anxious to hear his response.

"I miss Steve," he admitted with a sigh. "I guess I also feel a bit guilty, too. I've watched out for that punk for his entire life, and now. . ."

"Now he's got a new friend to watch his back?" YN asked when Bucky's thought trailed off.

Bucky grumbled. "Wilson."

"He's a good man."

"He is," Bucky agreed. "And I can rest easy knowing that he looks after Steve the same way I always did."

YN laughed. "You make it sound like Steve is some geriatric man with Alzheimer's."

"No, that's me," Bucky fired back with a laugh. "Or at least it was until Wakanda."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"But seriously, you're not too far off. Steve is technically over a hundred now, and he's always had a way of forgetting how much it hurts when someone beats the shit out of him." Bucky took a deep breath. "I guess I just look at him and see the skinny kid from Brooklyn."

"And Sam?"

Bucky thought for a moment. "Sam sees the broken soldier, I think." He nodded at his own assessment before continuing. "We both see Steve's vulnerabilities and for some reason, it's as though we've been hard-wired to protect him from everything—even himself."

"He's lucky to have you both. You know that, right?"

The conductor called their stop and Bucky gave her a smile. "I can't wait for you to meet him."

"Technically, I've already met him."

"But not as my girl, you haven't."

YN wasn't about to let that little gem of information slip past her. "I'm you're girl?"

He helped her to her feet and led her onto the platform before turning her into his embrace and gently brushing his lips across hers. "You're my best girl, doll."

She could feel heat washing over her, and she dropped her head bashfully. 

"C'mon," he said as he took her hand. "Let's go to a party."

After walking a few blocks, Bucky led her to a nondescript building and pressed the buzzer by the door. No one asked for a name, but within a few seconds, the door clicked and Bucky opened it for her.

"No security?" she asked in disbelief.

Bucky nodded toward the ceiling. "There's cameras everywhere. Steve probably knew we were coming from at least two blocks away."

He called the elevator and they rode up to the top floor in silence. YN's nerves were returning and she could feel her stomach start to somersault. The last time she'd been around these people, she'd been wallowing in her own sorrow so she hadn't paid attention to the superheroes, but this time would be different.

Steve greeted them at the door and gave both of them a hug. 

"I'm so glad to finally get to meet you. . .again."

"Me too," she agreed as she gave him a hesitant smile. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Are you kidding?" Steve asked as his eyes grew wide. "Bucky Barnes finally meets a dame he can't stop talking about? Of course I want a chance to get to know her."

"You can't stop talking about me?" YN asked Bucky with a wink.

Bucky groaned just as Sam appeared and walked over.

"Of course he can't stop talking about you—you're too good for him" Sam elbowed Bucky and then turned to give YN a hug. "It's good to see you. I just hate that it's under these circumstances."

"Sam," Steve warned as his eyebrows drew together in disapproval.

Sam shrugged and waved off Steve's warning. "What? Bucky swoops in and starts charming one of my oldest friends, and I don't have cause to be concerned?"

"It's not my fault you were stupid enough to let her get away," Bucky countered as he playfully punched Sam's arm. A sudden thought hit him. "Wait, did you already know we were dating?"

Steve's guilt was written all over his face. "He had a right to know, Buck..."

"Like hell..."

"Boys." 

YN turned to find Natasha walking over to greet them. The warning tone in the assassin's voice was impossible to mistake, but YN thought it was supposed to be more teasing than malicious.

"It's good to see you again, YN," Natasha said as she gave YN a hug. "And contrary to what Sam says, we're both glad that you and Bucky found one another."

"No we're not," Sam argued.

Steve clapped his hands together and then gestured to the party going on in the room beyond. "We've got tons of food and drinks. Please help yourself, and if you need anything, Bucky knows where to find it."

YN linked her arm through Bucky's and with a smile at their host and the other couple, she led him toward the buffet set up in the kitchen.

"That went well, don't you think?"

"Wilson was an ass," Bucky said as he reached for a beer.

She gave him a chastising look. "And you weren't?"

"Touché."

"Well, now that the awkwardness is over, can we try to enjoy ourselves?"

Bucky leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Anything for you, doll."

YN grabbed a couple plates and began piling them high with food as she walked the length of the buffet. "So, when Steve says you talk about me all the time, what exactly does that mean?"

"I'm going to kill that punk," Bucky mumbled under his breath.

YN bumped her hip against his since her hands were full. "I think it's sweet." She picked up a few more items to add to their plates before adding, "I talk about you all the time, too."

Bucky's face turned hopeful. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said as she dropped her head. "You're kinda special, Bucky Barnes."

"You're kinda special yourself, YN YLN." He took a swig from his beer and gave her a serious look. "I wasn't kidding when I said Wilson was a fool for letting you go. Don't get me wrong—Nat's an amazing woman—but I'd rather have you."

She didn't know what to say, so she just smiled and gave him a kiss before turning away bashfully.

"As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren't for Wilson, we might not have ever met."

"You might be right," she agreed as she found them seats by the patio doors. "When we're caught up in the moment, we can't always see how certain events are shaping us, but then we look back and realize that all the pain and suffering was just something we had to endure to get to the good parts of life."

He sat the plate of food she gave him on his lap and lifted his beer. "I'll drink to that."

She clinked her beer bottle against his and smiled as she took a drink. Her life hadn't turned out the way she'd always thought it would, but in this moment, she couldn't complain about the path she was on. Breaking up with Sam had been devastating, but it had led her to take more risks in her professional life which had brought her to New York. Then she'd run into Bucky that day in Brooklyn, and she was almost certain that would turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to her.

"This gives the 'you are what you eat' phrase a whole new meaning," Sam said as he walked over and stared down at Bucky's dessert plate.

"What the hell are you talking about, Wilson?"

YN gave Bucky a playful slap on the arm. "Be nice." She turned to Sam and raised a brow. "Why are you picking on Bucky?"

A huge grin spread across Sam's face as he disappeared into the kitchen and came back out with a carton of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

"Okay," YN said, drawing out the word to indicate her confusion. "It's a carton of Rocky Road. What's the big deal?"

"You didn't read the label, did you?" Sam asked as he twisted the carton so YN and Bucky could read the name of the ice cream flavor.

"Bucky Road." Bucky's eyes narrowed as he looked at the cartoon figures of him as the Winter Soldier throwing cones of rocky road ice cream at Steve in his Captain America uniform.

_**This is the picture I took at the Superhero Creamery in Ashland, KY**_

"It's their superhero series," Sam explained with a chuckle as he began rattling the names off. "There's Hulka Hulka Burning Fudge, Stark Raving Hazlenuts, Raspberry Thorbet, Blueberry Capsicle, Black Cherry Widow, Chocolate Peanut Barton Swirl, and my personal favorite—Chocolachino—named after your's truly."

"Chocolachino?" Bucky asked as he burst out in laughter. 

Sam's cocky smiled faded. "What's so funny?"

Bucky tried to rein in his laughter, but his face had started to turn red and his breaths were coming in short gasps. Finally, he was able to gain enough composure to speak. "Man, they didn't name that after you—they probably threw your picture on the carton as an afterthought so they wouldn't hurt your feelings."

"What do you mean?" Sam's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "That flavor is one of their best sellers."

YN gave Bucky a side-eyed glance before turning to Sam. "I'm sure it is. You're one of the most popular Avengers, especially after that 20/20 special Barbara Walters did on your military career."

Sam was momentarily appeased, but his pride was still a bit wounded. Deciding to take the out YN had given him, he nodded to the couple and muttered something about going to look for Nat.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" YN asked Bucky once Sam was out of earshot.

Bucky tried to play innocent, but he knew YN saw right through him. "Okay, okay, I'll give Wilson a break. But you have to admit, I was right about the ice cream."

YN rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "Yeah, you're right. I've been eating that flavor for years, and I've never seen Sam's picture on the cartoon."

Looking extremely proud of himself, Bucky took another bite of his dessert. "I got my own flavor, though."

"You're not upset about it?"

"Why would I be?" he asked as he picked up the carton Sam had left sitting on the coffee table. "They could've made any number of puns with the Winter Soldier, but they chose to go with Bucky Road."

She hadn't given it much thought, but now that he'd pointed it out, she saw it from his perspective. The years he'd been held captive by HYDRA had been full of pain and torment, but the ice cream makers had chosen to highlight his humanity. They'd made a parody of his fight with Steve before his memories had returned, but the cartoon characters on the carton were too adorable to take seriously, so it softened the blow.

Deciding to change the subject, she nodded toward the kitchen. "Think Steve bought all the flavors?"

Following her train of thought, Bucky's eyes glinted mischievously. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Only if you're thinking we need to try them all."

He set down the carton of ice cream and took her hand. "What are we waiting for?"

Laughing, she let him pull her to her feet and lead her back into the kitchen. Since the day she'd met him, Bucky had continually surprised her, and she knew that whatever the future held for them, they'd enjoy ever second of it.

YN had enjoyed meeting some of Bucky's friends at Steve's party—even if Sam had been less than cordial at times. She knew that his past was a part of him, and he was doing a good job of putting it all behind him and moving forward. But there were still a lot of years that had passed before he'd met her, and she couldn't help but admit that she was curious about some of them.

"So, has Rocky Road always been your favorite ice cream?" she asked as they rode the train back to Brooklyn.

Bucky nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Ever since I was a little kid, that's been my favorite."

"What was it like?"

"What? Ice Cream in the thirties?"

She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his arm. "No, silly. Your childhood." She paused for a moment and wondered if she'd gone too far. "If you don't want to talk about it. . ."

"No, it's fine," he interrupted with a slight shake of his head. "Those memories are the ones I've been trying to keep throughout all of this." Taking a deep breath, he tried to think of where to start. "My ma was a great cook. Some of my best memories are of all of us sitting around the table and eating."

"What was your favorite meal?"

A huge smile spread across his face as he closed his eyes. "Her pancakes. I could eat her pancakes all day, every day."

"I don't know about that," YN said with a laugh. "Tell me more."

"We didn't have much back then, but what we did have, we appreciated." The train jerked and he braced himself before he continued. "There are some things about my childhood that I don't think I'll ever forget, and other things that seem like they happened to someone else."

She could tell that he'd taken a step back in time, so she stayed quiet and let him remember events and people on his own.

"Steve was obviously a huge part of my life," he said after a few moments. "That punk has been my best friend for most of my life. He and I got into a bit of trouble every now and then, but we were just kids having a little bit of fun.

"I remember this one time we went to Coney Island. Back then, it was the greatest place on Earth. The hot dogs there were better than anywhere else in Brooklyn—except maybe for Yankee Stadium. My favorite ride was the Cyclone, but it always made Steve sick as a dog." He laughed at the memory for a moment. "I always liked to play the games—you know, the one's at the little booths along the thoroughfares."

She knew exactly which ones he was talking about. "I liked the one where you have to throw the rings on the bottles."

"I was pretty good at that one," he agreed. "But I was the best at the shooting games. I knew they were rigged, but once I figured out the trick, I could hit the bullseye every time."

"How long did it take you to figure out the trick?" she asked with a dubious look.

He grimaced and began rubbing the back of his neck. "I might have spent all of the train money trying to win a stuffed animal this one time."

She narrowed her gaze. "You wanted a stuffed animal that badly?"

Inhaling sharply through his clenched teeth, he gave her an apologetic look. "It was actually for this dame. Her name was Dot, and she was this fiery little redhead that was just too pretty for her own good."

"Did you win her the toy?"

He shrugged. "I might have."

"So, I guess it's safe to say you liked the ladies when you were younger," she mused aloud as she playfully nudged him in the ribs.

He rubbed the spot as though she'd mortally wounded him. "Don't worry, doll, that was before I met you."

She gave him a flirtatious grin. "Yeah?"

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "Yeah, you're pretty special."

"So, do I make your top ten list of favorite things?"

"No question, doll," he said as he kissed her temple. "You're at the top of my list."

"Well, we've established that you like Rocky Road ice cream," she said as she began ticking off the items on her fingers. "Your mother's pancakes, Steve Rogers, amusement park hot dogs, rollercoasters, carnival games, women in general, and me, specifically. That's only eight things. We need two more to make the list complete."

He took a deep breath and thought about it for a minute. "I love Brooklyn. This city has always been home, and now it's where I met you, so it's even better."

She couldn't keep the goofy grin off of her face. "Okay, one more."

The train jerked again and she shifted closer to him. 

"I used to hate trains," he said as he gave her a wink. "But now I'm starting to see them in a new light."

"Yeah, how's that?"

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "They give me an excuse to hold you close, and that's definitely one of my favorite things."

YN wasn't ready for the night to end just yet, but she was a little hesitant to be the first one to broach the subject of taking their relationship to the next level. They'd been dating for a little while, and the chemistry was definitely there, but she just wasn't sure how he felt about her seeing his scars—especially the ones where his arm had been.

"It's a beautiful night," he said as they walked up the stairs of the subway station hand in hand, and into the night air.

"Almost too beautiful to waste," she said, carefully dropping the hint that she didn't want to say goodnight just yet. He looked over at her, but his eyes were cast in shadow and she couldn't read the expression behind them. Taking a chance, she decided to take a leap. "You always walk me back to my place, but I've never seen yours."

His pace slowed a bit as he tried to figure out if she was saying what he thought she was saying. "Would you like to see it?"

"Only if you want to show it to me," she said, giving him an out if he wanted it.

Giving her hand a squeeze, he nodded in the opposite direction and turned them around so they were headed back toward the river. "It's this way."

Nervousness had her throat going dry, and she found it hard to speak, but Bucky made up for it. As they walked down the street, he pointed out some of his favorite restaurants and shops, and even said hello to some the owners who were closing up for the night.

He stopped in front of a lovely old brick brownstone and let go of her hand to open the small wrought iron gate. "I rent the basement level. The owners renovated it a few years back, and it's actually pretty nice."

She nodded and followed him down the stone staircase and waited for him to unlock the door. He'd told her the space was nice, but he'd undersold it. The apartment—if it was big enough to even call it that—was the most charming place she'd ever seen. The concrete floors had been acid stained and shone under the multitude of recessed lighting that was set between the exposed wooden beams that supported the upper floors.

The living area was immediately inside the door with an old leather sofa sitting by the window. There were a few blankets tossed haphazardly across the arms and a oversized plush pillow with a rustic blue military star in the center. On either side of the sofa were a pair of modern shelving units with black metal supports and dark wooden shelves. 

She took a step closer to examine the items on the shelves, and was surprised to find copies of literary classics nestled between giant chess pieces, and old boxing equipment, as well as other manly knickknacks. Above the sofa were two framed pictures with the names of New York City subway stations on each one.

Her gaze left the living area and she noticed the tiny kitchen to the left. A countertop with three barstools separated the two areas, and YN could just make out the bedroom on the other side of the kitchen with a bathroom in between.

"This place is. . ." Her words trailed off as she struggled to come up with right word to describe it. Adorable seemed to cutesy, but it was the perfect word in her mind.

"It's home," he said as he tried to see the apartment through her eyes. "For now, at least."

She gestured to the personal touches in the living room. "You've made it a home."

"You like it?" he asked as he grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I like what I've seen so far." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered against his lips. "Why don't you show me the rest?

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 271 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! I found the picture at the top as a reference for someone to make me a moodboard for Dormiveglia, and I thought it was perfect for Bucky with all the little touches that fit his personality. Do you agree? At the end of this story, I've added some pictures and a link to an AirBnB I stayed at in Brooklyn that inspired Bucky's apartment in this story. If you're ever looking for a place to stay in New York City, I highly recommend this place. The host, Isaac, was a sweetie, and the place was spotless and extremely comfortable! Now, to that ending. . .what did you think of her suggestion? Was she asking for the rest of the tour, or did her words have a double meaning? I guess we'll find out in the next part! I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

** _ [Brooklyn Airbnb](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25460977?source_impression_id=p3_1561470919_%2BygezP7BWkntcjH8) _ **

YN awoke to the feel of a hard, muscular torso under her head, and while she wouldn't have previously thought it would make a good pillow, she found herself almost too comfortable to move. She was enjoying that languid feeling of being on the cusp of sleep and awareness—still asleep enough for her limbs to feel heavy, but awake enough that she could enjoy the sensation of waking up next to a man that was the sole reason why she'd slept so well in the first place.

She could have stayed right where she was for the rest of her life, but eventually her mind came fully awake and her bladder couldn't be ignored any longer. Slipping quietly from the bed, she grabbed Bucky's button-up shirt from the floor and tiptoed across the cool concrete to the bathroom on the other side of the bedroom.

As she washed her hands, she looked up at her reflection in the mirror. How long had it been since she'd seen that well-satisfied look in her eye? _Too long for her to even remember_, she thought to herself.

She debated with herself on whether she should go back to bed, or surprise Bucky with breakfast in bed. Both options promised a repeat of the previous night, but only one would quieten her rumbling stomach, so she opted for the one with food.

The tiny kitchen had more cabinet space that she would've thought, which surprised her. She hadn't taken a lot of time the night before to study the details, but other than the apartment-sized refrigerator in the back corner, everything else seemed to be standard-sized—even the dishwasher.

Not knowing how Bucky organized his kitchen, she began pulling open random cabinets in the hope of finding the ingredients she needed to make pancakes. They probably wouldn't be as good as his mother's, but she figured it was the thought that counted. But thoughts of her mediocre cooking took a backseat as she began to take inventory of his food supply.

"Whatcha doin', doll?" Bucky mumbled as he wandered into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs.

She pulled out a box of Pop-Tarts and turned to give him a chastising glare. "You have twelve boxes of Pop-Tarts."

Bucky looked confused. "So."

"Twelve," she repeated, shaking the box at him.

"They're all different flavors," he explained with a shrug.

"Okay," she conceded with a heavy sigh. "But that doesn't explain all the other junk food in this place. There's not a single vegetable or piece of fruit to be found. The only thing that has even a modicum of nutritional value is the gallon of milk in the fridge, but I think it's safe to assume you only use that to dunk the twenty bags of Chips Ahoy!" She gave him a disappointed look. "If you keep eating like this, even the supersoldier serum won't be able to save you from a diabetic coma."

He smiled and walked over to wrap his arm around her and nuzzle her neck. "You're cute when you're acting all concerned for my health."

The stubble of his beard tickled her neck and she couldn't stop the giggle from bubbling out. "Stop. I'm being serious."

"You're also pretty cute in my shirt," he murmured as his lips started kissing a trail from her neck up to her jawline and his finger traced along the collar of the shirt down to where the first button was fastened.

"Bucky," she warned, although her heart wasn't truly in it.

"I know for a fact you're much sexier without it. . ."

She felt heat begin to rise up within her and her hands began roaming over the broad expanse of his bare torso before she could stop herself. "I was going to make you pancakes. . ."

"Were you now?" he asked as his mouth and fingers kept teasing and taunting her in all the secret places he'd discovered the night before.

"I was," she murmured. "But you don't have any flour, or eggs. . ."

"I have Pop-Tarts," he teased as he captured her mouth and felt the moan of pleasure that escaped her lips.

She pulled away as her stomach growled. "I'm hungry, Bucky."

"I also have chocolate cake and ice cream." He gave her a mischievous look. "There's nothing better than chocolate cake and ice cream for breakfast—especially after a long night of. . ."

"No one eats that for breakfast," she interrupted with a smirk.

"Then they're missing out, cause the best part of being an adult is eating whatever the hell you want, whenever the hell you want."

"You run five miles every morning," she reasoned, trying to get him to see how ridiculous his food choices were.

"Yeah, so I can eat whatever I want." He heard her groan of disapproval. "Have some cake with me, YN. I promise I'll help you burn off the calories."

His hand dipped below the hem of the shirt she was wearing and she started to imagine all the possible ways he could make good on his promise. As it was, if he continued doing what he was doing, she'd be so starved in a few hours, she wouldn't care how unhealthy the food in his apartment was—she'd be willing to eat every single Pop-Tart in sight.

"Okay, cake and ice cream it is," she conceded as her chest rose and fell heavily to provide enough oxygen for her racing heart.

"In bed," he countered before amending his conditions. "Naked in bed."

She slipped out from between him and the counter and headed toward the freezer. She reasoned the cool air would most likely help her overheated skin, and she could grab the ice cream while she was there. As she opened the door, she stared at its contents in disbelief.

Pulling out one of a half dozen cartons, she held it up accusingly. "You have six cartons of Bucky Road."

He had the decency to look abashed. "I like messing with bird brain." He grabbed the plastic container of chocolate cake from the counter and shrugged. "It's still my favorite ice cream."

She pulled open a drawer to get a couple spoons and followed him back to bed with the ice cream. Bucky Barnes was a lot of things—a little shit being one of them—but she was slowly beginning to discover that the more she learned about him, the more she was falling for him.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 280 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Who in their right mind would turn down breakfast in bed with Bucky? Especially naked breakfast in bed with chocolate cake and ice cream! We all know he'll make good on his promise to help burn those calories, right? Were you surprised at Bucky's unhealthy food choices? We all know our superheroes live on burgers, pizza, hot dogs, and Pop Tarts! (Not to mention the chimichangas). This part got a little steamier than I'd intended, but I didn't figure you'd mind! I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

"We need food," YN murmured against Bucky's chest as she lie in an exhausted heap on top of him.

"We just ate, doll."

YN struggled to open her eyes and lift her head to meet his gaze. "That wasn't food. That was dessert."

Bucky's hand started slipping beneath the sheets. "No, this was dessert. . ."

She squealed and pulled away from him. "I'm serious, Bucky. I'm hungry."

He sighed heavily and sat up to put his clothes back on. "C'mon. I know a great place that serves breakfast all day long. I'll treat you to brunch."

Doing a victory butt-wiggle at getting her way concerning food, she checked the time on her phone. "It is still considered brunch if it's almost two o'clock."

Coming up behind her, he slid his arm around her waist and began nipping at her earlobe. "It's eleven o'clock somewhere, right?"

"The saying is 'five o'clock'," she argued as she slipped out from beneath his grasp. "And none of that, mister. You seduced me earlier, but not again."

"Not ever?" he asked with a puppy-dog pout.

She rolled her eyes and leaned in for a quick kiss. "Not until after I'd had some real food. You know the kind? It covers all the major macros—carbs, fats, and proteins?"

Shaking his head with a laugh, he continued to get dressed, but kept one eye on her as she did so as well. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of looking at her, especially when there was nothing to hinder his view of her magnificent body.

He locked the door behind him as she started up the stairs. "Take a right," he told her. "It's just around the corner."

She slowed enough for him to catch up, and she slipped her hand into his—smiling when he interlaced their fingers. Failing to keep the goofy grin off of her face, she let him lead the way to the restaurant.

Once the waiter had taken their order and brought them coffee, YN sat back and smiled.

"What's got you so happy?" he asked when he noticed the Cheshire Cat grin on her face.

She gave him a disbelieving look. "You have to ask?" Bucky began to blush as he dropped his head. "Not the reaction I was going for, but I'll take it."

"I know it's a little late to ask," he began as he took a deep breath, "but what's a girl like you see in a guy like me?" He nodded toward the missing left arm before meeting her gaze again.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked as her eyes rounded with shock. Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on the table and shook her head at him. "You have no idea how amazing you are, do you?"

"I'm not," he disagreed. "I'm just a. . ."

"A decorated war hero," she said, ticking off her points on her fingers as she made them. "A former superhero that saved the entire universe, the sweetest guy I've ever met—not to mention the sexiest. . ."

He held up his hand to stop her before she started listing qualities he'd rather not have announced to all of Brooklyn. "I get your point."

"Do you?"

Dropping his head again, he began playing with the utensils still wrapped up in the paper napkin. "You listed all of the good things, but you forgot the flaws."

"The flaws are meaningless when all the good things outnumber them," she reasoned with an offhanded shrug.

"You deserve someone without my particular flaws."

"Boyfriends without flaws are boring," she teased as she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. 

"I'm your boyfriend?"

She saw the look of shock on his face and her heart melted. "Oh, sweetie. After the things we did last night—and again this morning—you'd better believe you're my boyfriend. I'm not stupid enough to let a guy like you get away. Especially once I realized you could. . ."

He reached across the table and covered her mouth with his hand as his face turned beet red. "There are children in here."

"Then I guess you'd better feed me quickly before I warp their little minds," she said after she'd peeled his hand away.

"Can you behave long enough for us to eat?" he asked with a scandalized look on his face.

"I promise to behave," she told him as she made an X over her heart. "But only while we're in public."

He leaned back and gave her a sultry smile. "I can live with that." 

"And if you start stocking real food in your place," she countered.

"I think I can find room for some healthy choices," he said as he fiddled with the cutlery again. "There might also be some room for a few of your things if you're interested."

"Are we talking. . .like a drawer?"

He shrugged and ran a finger over the collar of the shirt she was still wearing. "I like the look of you in my clothes, but it might be convenient if you have some of your own things if you're going to be staying over."

She knew how big of a deal it was for him to be offering, and she was thrilled that they seemed to be on the same page. "I could probably make room for you to have a drawer at my place, too. That is, if you'd like."

"Okay, then," he said with a definitive nod before he noticed the waiter coming back. "But first, we eat."

"Finally," she said as her stomach started growling again.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 280 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Bucky Barnes has flaws?? I think not! How dare he think there's anything wrong with him! Thankfully, she set him straight, right? Things seem to moving fast, but we've only got one more part of this story before the year ends, so I needed to speed things along! But don't you just love their bantering? It's so sweet and sexy at the same time, don't you think? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider voting!_

Bucky had been skeptical at first when YN had told him it was better to decorate the tree before plugging it in, but since he found it almost impossible to tell her no, he'd went along with her suggestion.

The tree was the last part of the Christmas decorations that needed to put up, and as Bucky looked around the living room of their new apartment, he had to agree that waiting until everything else was ready was going to make the lighting of the tree a spectacular finale to their holiday décor. As a kid, his family had been lucky to afford a scrawny half-dead tree, let alone all of the candles and wreaths that YN insisted every house needed to embrace the majesty of the season.

They'd only been in the apartment for a few months—having decided around Labor Day that they should move in together since they rarely spent a night apart and rent in Brooklyn was outrageous. Everything they did in their new place seemed exciting, but there was something about the holiday season that made him see their relationship in a completely different light.

He'd never dreamed that packing and moving a ton of boxes and heavy furniture would make YN so happy, but the smile on her face as they'd said goodbye to their single lives and merged their earthly possessions together into one space was brighter than all the stars in the sky. She'd happily picked out paint chips and together they'd made the two bedroom apartment their own. Granted, they'd ended up with more paint on themselves than the walls, but that was just a part of the experience.

Now as he watched her place the last few ornaments on the tree, he realized that his entire life had been leading him up to this moment. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and he was pretty sure she felt the same way. He had no clue how he'd gotten so lucky, and he vowed that he'd do everything in his power to make sure he never gave her a reason to cry. She was his world—even though he was pretty sure he didn't deserve her.

"What do you think?" she asked as she took a step back and surveyed her handiwork. "Did I miss any spots?"

Bucky shook his head. "It looks great."

She narrowed her eyes critically. "You're not just saying that because you're tired of decorating and want to watch a movie?"

"No," he said as he rolled his eyes and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "It really is beautiful. You've outdone yourself."

She rested her head on his shoulder and took a moment to glance around the room. "I want it to be perfect. We're having our first Christmas party here together next week. . ."

"And it'll be wonderful," he interrupted with a quick kiss to her temple. "Now let's turn on the tree so we can get the full effect."

He bent down to plug in the extension cord, but she called out for him to stop. "What's wrong, doll?"

"Nothing," she said with a smile. "We just forgot to turn off the main light first." She reached for the switch and the room was bathed in darkness.

"Now I can't see where the outlet is."

"Give me a sec." She pulled the phone from the back pocket of her jeans and turned on the flashlight. "There. Can you see it now?"

"Got it," he said as he slipped the prongs into the outlet and the warm glow of Christmas lights filled the room.

He stood back up and saw her standing in the middle of the room with her hands over her mouth. "Are you okay?"

"It's so beautiful," she said as she choked back a sob. "Come back here and look."

Walking over to her, he turned to see what all the fuss was about. In that moment, he finally understood why she'd insisted on waiting to do the tree last. The twinkling lights made the room seem almost magical as they reflected off the ornaments and cast little shimmers all over the room.

He glanced down at her to tell her she'd done a great job, but when he saw the way the tree was sparkling in her eyes, it took his breath away. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't get lost in her eyes, but seeing them shining with the light of their very first Christmas tree was something he'd never forget.

"What do you think?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as she continued to marvel at their tree.

"It's almost as beautiful as you."

"Aww, you're too sweet," she said as she gave him a quick kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said with a secret smile. If her eyes sparkled this much from a tree, how much brighter would they get once he gave her the ring that was under it?

** _~ The End ~_ **

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 357 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Wasn't this just the sweetest ending to this story? I love that Bucky finally found some happiness and even though he still doesn't think he deserves it, he's still appreciative of every moment he gets with her! Do you think she'll say yes when he gives her the ring? She'd be a fool not to, right? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_


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